Belgium puts capital on highest terror alert

By Anna Giaritelli, Anna Giaritelli

Published December 20, 2015

Belgium elevated its terror alert in Brussels to the maximum level Saturday after a national crisis organization warned of an "imminent threat" against the capital.

"Following our latest evaluation ... the centre has raised its terror alert to level 4, signifying a very serious threat, for the Brussels region," according to a statement from OCAM, part of the Belgium Interior Ministry.

The heightened threat came hours after Belgian law enforcement charged a third suspect as an accomplice in the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks by the Islamic State in Paris that killed 130 people.

The alert is expected to remain in effect as investigators continue to search for subjects involved in the Paris attacks. The government also instructed citizens to avoid crowded public areas until it has contained the threat.